Goshen Grove
Last night a part of our county was under a tornado warning. One of the areas listed in the path was Goshen Grove. The thing though was no one that I knew had ever heard of Goshen Grove. Hmmm Well….
What is a Goshen? A land or place of plenty and comfort.
What is a Grove? Small wood or forested area, usually with no undergrowth.
What follows is the scripture associated with the word “Goshen,” a post I read just today by Amanda Shiflett of what the Lord said to her. It got my attention since Goshen isn’t a word we hear every day. And then I write what I feel the Lord said to me as I read her post and studied the Word of God.
Scripture and background
We read about the land of Goshen in Genesis 45:10. In Genesis 45, we see the account of Joseph who has been sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers. He has since risen as a high official in the House of Pharaoh and we read here of him revealing himself to his brothers.
1Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.
2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.
3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.
4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:
10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:
11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.
From Amanda Shiflett
“I heard the Lord say, ‘I have called forth My Watchmen Prophets in this hour, out of mercy for My house and My people…to warn them, to keep them protected from the many things that are coming. Just as in the days of old, I have prepared a “Goshen” for My people, if they will listen and heed My true prophets. Do not be wise in Your own eyes, or think that You know My heart in its fullness. Many things are coming that My body has not been prepared for, but I am sending forth those that will help prepare them for the days to come. If you will listen and heed the many that I am raising up with the voice of a Watchmen, as one crying in the wilderness, they will prepare the way of the Lord for you, and you will walk in My Divine Protection. Now is not a time of fear, but of faith in Your God, for I will not leave You or forsake you, but you must follow Me, and heed My voice. You must listen, and follow the instruction of My Spirit. Now is the hour to listen to My watchmen!'”
What I heard the Lord say
I heard the Lord say, “I have prepared for my people a Goshen, but my people must prepare the Grove.”
I felt in my heart like He also said prepare the way to the Grove and prepare the Grove by getting rid of that undergrowth. The undergrowth is there because of years, days, even hours and moments of neglect. It takes up space and drains essential nutrients from the ground. He said to start the cleanup and you will be amazed at the quick transformation. And then He said most importantly after it is all cleaned out…do the work of upkeep!!!!
The undergrowth He highlighted was
- Any known sin (big or little). He said don’t list – as you already know what He’s speaking of.
- Distractions that are causing apathy. Distractions can be bad things that have happened, but they can also be good things taking you out of His presence and drawing you away from His call on your life.
- Sinful attitudes such as jealousy, bitterness, competition
Goshen Grove!!!
Proverbs 16:6
Psalms 119:1-2
Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart – Thorns, Briers & Laziness
This is the Word of God. Read it…and heed it!
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.~ Proverbs 24:30-34
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And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying,
“Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” ~ Matthew 13:3-8, 18-23
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For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. ~ Hebrews 6:7-8
Psalm 29:11
Deuteronomy 29:29
My mom has been…
My mom has been ….
The stay-at-home mom
The working mom
the bread winner mom
The student mom
The teacher mom
The pastor’s wife mom
The pastor’s widow mom
The heartbroken mom
The protective mom
The forgiving mom
The single mom
The dating mom
The engaged mom
The bride mom
The remarried mom
The mom who lost a daughter
The grieving mom
The grieving mom
The grieving mom
The accepting mom
The peaceful mom
The injured mom
The helpless mom
The sick mom
The weak mom
The healed mom
The mom who cared for and lost her own precious mom long before an actual death.
The strong mom
God loving, God seeking, God fearing mom
The faith-filled mom
The Bible believing mom
The church going mom
The merciful mom
The praying mom
The ever evangelizing mom
She’s the mom of Preacher Mike
She’s the mom of Missy. I am always just Missy to her 😍
She’s the mom of Karen Lea who she’ll see again in heaven.
She’s the Ganny to 7 grandchildren and 4 great grands.
The mom to so many third graders and countless church kids!!!
No matter what in all these roles a few things are fact… my mom is a mom that perseveres, does it with a grace that is supernatural, and expects nothing less from those around her!!! If you know her and have been on the receiving end of her mothering…you can’t help but love her as your own.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Psalm 34:17
